Key Moments:
- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has identified serious regulatory weaknesses in Timor-Leste’s Oecusse Digital Centre (ODC) free trade zone.
- Authorities seized SIM cards and Starlink satellite devices during a raid on a hotel in the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno (RAEOA) on 25 August 2025.
- The UNODC connected several Timor-Leste-based companies to the 14K Triad, Cambodian gambling networks, and possible illicit online gaming activity.
Timor-Leste’s Growing Profile in Offshore Gaming
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has raised alarms about Timor-Leste becoming a focal point for organized crime, particularly in connection to scam centers and illicit gambling operations. These networks reportedly use foreign direct investment as a pretense for establishing illicit enterprises in the country, with significant vulnerabilities found in regulatory oversight within the Special Administrative Region of Oecusse-Ambeno (RAEOA), especially the Oecusse Digital Centre (ODC) free trade zone.
Scam centers operate covertly, often involving trafficked or coerced individuals who use technology to carry out fraudulent activities, such as fake investment schemes or online romance scams. Online casinos can serve as a facade for these operations, facilitating infrastructure and cash flow that support money laundering and unauthorized gaming.
🚨 Criminal groups use FDI to infiltrate Timor-Leste’s Oecusse zone.
🔹 Scam centre signs
🔹 Shell firms & multiple passports
🔹 Ties to org crime & offshore gamblingAs crackdowns rise in SE Asia, networks target less prepared jurisdictions.
Link👇 pic.twitter.com/RQvdP4Uno4
— UNODC Southeast Asia-Pacific (@UNODC_SEAP) September 11, 2025
Expansion of Offshore Gaming and Regulatory Risks
The concerns voiced by the UNODC come at a time when Timor-Leste has positioned itself as an offshore gaming destination by authorizing licenses for iGaming operators under the Timor-Leste Online Gaming Operator Supervisory (TOGOS) regime. Golden River Universe (GRU) is the first officially licensed operator, running offshore gaming operations supervised by the Inspectorate General of Gaming (IGJ).
Previously, GRU’s chief executive Datuk Harry Ng stated: “With the Philippines clamping down and Cambodia greylisted, there’s no structured offshore gaming hub in Asia. TOGOS can fill that space—but keeping scenarios in mind, we’re taking it slow. We don’t want to scale too fast and lose control. The foundation needs to be clean and purpose-driven—so for us, it is not just about chasing volume,” as reported by SiGMA News.
Impact of Gambling Crackdowns in Asia
The recent regulatory shifts in Asia, especially the prohibition of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) in July 2024, have driven displaced operators to seek new locations. During an October 2024 visit, Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla warned Timor-Leste authorities about the likelihood of former POGO operators relocating to the country. This warning became more pressing following the August 25, 2025, raid in the RAEOA, where law enforcement seized devices commonly used in Southeast Asian online scam environments.
Officials are now examining the circumstances of the workers found onsite, as some display high-level IT capabilities. The UNODC remarked that this illustrates a troubling trend toward increased professionalization of the region’s scam operations.
Criminal Network Links and Reputational Risks
Investigations have uncovered that the raided hotel and associated firms are tied to shell companies with connections to Cambodian gambling networks. UNODC research points to overlapping directorships among entities in Oecusse, Dili, and the ODC, suggesting concealed ownership and involvement in illicit activity. Several companies based in Timor-Leste reportedly have connections to the 14K Triad, led by former Macau gangster Wan Kuok-koi (“Broken Tooth”), and links to Cambodian casinos previously flagged for money laundering and online fraud.
The UNODC warned that these operations can develop into wider centers for cyber fraud, human trafficking, and drug trafficking. The agency also cautioned that such infiltration poses threats to Timor-Leste’s digital infrastructure and may damage the country’s international reputation as it prepares to join ASEAN in October 2025.
Timeline of Key Developments
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 2024 | Philippines bans Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGOs) |
| October 2024 | Philippine Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla visits Timor-Leste to warn officials about the migration of POGO operators |
| 25 August 2025 | Timorese authorities raid RAEOA hotel, seizing SIM cards and Starlink devices linked to scam centers |
| October 2025 | Timor-Leste prepares for ASEAN membership |
| 03–06 November 2025 | SiGMA Central Europe conference in Rome |
- Author
Daniel Williams
